Health officials warn of ‘cluster of cases’ of Legionnaires’ disease in New Westminster

Residents of New Westminster, B.C., are being warned of a “cluster of cases” of Legionnaires’ disease in the community.

Six people have contracted the disease, and Fraser Health said it has narrowed down the source to “the downtown core” or Quay area.

Two people have been hospitalized.

Anyone who develops pneumonia-like symptoms and has a high-risk condition is advised to seek medical attention.

If they have been in New Westminster within the last 19 days, Fraser Health said they should communicate that detail to their doctor.

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by bacteria that exists naturally in the environment, but can spread in human-made water systems such as cooling towers and plumbing systems.

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People can contract the disease by breathing in small water droplets infected with the bacteria, though Fraser Health said most people who come in contact with it do not develop Legionnaires’.

Smokers, the elderly and people with compromised lungs or immune systems, however, are at higher risk of developing the disease, according to Fraser Health.

Back in 2018, a cluster of Legionnaires’ disease in Surrey led to a handful of hospitalizations.

The bacteria was traced back to a cooling tower in a Walmart next to the Guildford Town Centre mall.

Legionnaires’ disease can mostly be treated with antibiotics, but in extreme cases, it can be fatal.

An outbreak in Quebec in 2012 killed 14 people, while one in New York in 2015 killed 12.